Sponsored by Rep. John Mathis, and signed into law in 2012 by Gov. Gary Herbert, HB187 (Act No. 213) declares that a person is guilty of agricultural operation interference if the person records an image of, or sound from, an agricultural operation under certain circumstances; obtains access to an agricultural operation under false pretenses; or obtains employment at an agricultural operation with the intent to record an image of, or sound from, the agricultural operation. Violators of the law are guilty of a class A misdemeanor and face up to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.

Sponsored by Rep. Michael Noel, and signed into law in 2013 by Gov. Herbert, HB155 limits the authority of federal employees to exercise law enforcement authority within Utah. HB155 provides that Utah does not recognize the authority of any United States Forest Service employee who is not a certified law enforcement officer or any Bureau of Land Management employee to exercise law enforcement authority under state, local, or federally assimilated law. Violators of this law are guilty of a class B misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine and six months in jail.

Sponsored by Reps Galvez, Ivory, et al., and signed into law in 2011 by Gov. Gary Herbert, HB317 (The Specie Legal Tender Act) recognizes gold and silver coins issued by the federal government as legal tender in the state and exempts the exchange of the coins from certain types of state tax liability. In combination with the 2012 amended legislation HB157 (PDF), Utah’s new sound money policy lets individuals use gold and silver bullion in the same way as they would cash for transactions and also currency exchanges. Individuals will be able to get fair market value for metal in a trade for cash, or may start depositing or making purchases with it.

Sponsored by Rep. Ken Ivory, Sen. Niederhauser, et al., and signed into law by Gov. Herbert, HB76 authorizes Utah’s Constitutional Defense Council to evaluate and respond to federal laws. According to HB76, the Federalism Subcommittee of the Constitutional Defense Council meets to review the impact of federal mandates on Utah. As necessary, the committee requests special sessions of the Legislature to respond to harmful or unconstitutional federal mandates that encroach on state sovereignty. Responses may include challenging federal court rulings, approving claims for payments, and preparing a constitutional defense plan. The Federalism Subcommittee chair may also correspond with other states about federal law. HB76 was updated in 2013 by HB131, which established the Commission on Federalism.

Sponsored by Reps Galvez, Ivory, et al., and signed into law in 2011 by Gov. Gary Herbert, HB317 (The Specie Legal Tender Act) recognizes gold and silver coins that are issued by the federal government as legal tender in the state and exempts the exchange of the coins from certain types of state tax liability. In combination with the 2012 amended legislation HB157 (PDF), Utah’s new sound money policy lets individuals use gold and silver bullion in the same way as they would cash for transactions and also currency exchanges. Individuals will be able to get fair market value for metal in a trade for cash, or may start depositing or making purchases with it.

Sponsored by Sens. Osmond, Herrod, Rep. Brad Wilson, et al, and passed into law by Gov. Herbert, HB155 requires an applicant who otherwise qualifies for cash assistance under Utah’s Family Employment Program to complete a written drug screening questionnaire and meet other requirements in order to receive cash assistance under the program.

Sponsored by Sen. Aaron Osmond and Rep. Bill Wright, and signed into law by Gov. Herbert, SB223 requires that the State Board of Education shall provide a program of instruction that shall include the history of the U.S. flag, etiquette, customs pertaining to the display and use of the flag, and other patriotic exercises. The pledge of allegiance to the flag shall be recited once at the beginning of each day in each public school classroom in the state, led by a student in the classroom, as assigned by the classroom teacher on a rotating basis.

Sponsored by Sen. Margaret Dayton and Rep. Bill Wright, HB363 requires human sexuality instruction or instructional programs to teach and stress the importance of abstinence from all sexual activity before marriage and fidelity after marriage as the only sure methods for preventing certain communicable diseases. The bill also requires the teaching of personal skills that encourage individual choice of abstinence and fidelity. HB363 imposes certain restrictions for human sexuality instructional programs: it permits a local school board or charter school governing board to adopt abstinence only instructional materials recommended by the State Board of Education and or the school district’s or charter school’s curriculum materials review committee.

Sponsored by Rep. Ken Ivory and Sen. Ralph Okerlund, HB351 requires a state agency or department to report to the Legislature before implementing a directive from the White House Rural Council and authorizes the Legislature to prohibit or require compliance with a directive from the White House Rural Council.

Sponsored by Rep. Ken Ivory and co-sponsored by Reps. Herrod, Sandstrom, Sumsion, et al, and signed into law by Gov. Herbert, HB148 enacts the Transfer of Public Lands Act and requires the United States to extinguish title to public lands and transfer title to those public lands to the state of Utah on or before December 31, 2014.

Sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Sumsion, HB511 authorizes cities and counties to exercise eminent domain authority on property possessed by the federal government unless the property was acquired by the federal government with the consent of the Legislature and in accordance with the United States Constitution Article I, Section 8, Clause 17.

Sponsored by Rep. Stephen Sandstrom and signed into law by Gov. Gary Herbert, HB 497 (The Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act) requires that an officer verify the immigration status of a person arrested for a felony or a class A misdemeanor and a person booked for class B or C misdemeanors and requires that an officer attempt to verify immigration status for a person detained for a class B or C misdemeanor; also requires that a law enforcement officer may not consider race, color, or national origin, except as permitted by Utah and United States constitutions.

Sponsored by Rep. Carl Wimmer and signed into law by Gov. Gary Herbert, HB67 prohibits a state agency or department from implementing federal health care reform passed by the United States Congress after March 1, 2010, unless a state agency reports to the Legislature regarding costs and impact on state reform efforts. HB67 adds: “The Legislature may pass legislation specifically authorizing or prohibiting the state’s compliance with, or participation in, federal health care reform.”

Sponsored by Rep. John Dougall and co-sponsored by then Rep. Margaret Dayton et al, and signed into law by Gov. Huntsman in 2005, HB260 established the Utah Harmful to Minors Act, a law that imposes criminal penalties for any business within the State of Utah that makes pornographic or indecent materials available to minors over the Internet. Although enjoined by a federal court, HB260 continues to exist in statute and serves as a severe threat to pornographers and left-wing groups who, in partnership with the ACLU, continue to attack the law in court.